Committee approves $60,000 for congressional special election; carries over grants, adds poll books and approves device donations

The Legislative Rules and Governmental Operations Committee approved a $60,000 appropriation on Jan. 30 to cover anticipated costs of a congressional special election and took several related administrative actions including carrying over unused 2024 election grants, amending a poll-book support contract to add three devices and approving the donation of older poll-book tablets to nonprofit organizations.

Committee members said the funding is to cover the full rollout of a special election — including early voting and staffing — and that the county must be prepared even though the seat and timing depend on external federal developments.

The appropriation passed on a voice vote after the committee heard a cost breakdown from county elections staff. The request identified several line items the office expects to incur: delivery trucks ($3,000), absentee ballots ($2,600), emergency ballots ($2,100) and advertising/special mailings to notify voters ($1,000). The office described the event as a “full rollout election” with all polling locations and 10 days of early voting; officials said the county will book more than 120 inspectors if the election proceeds. The committee approved carrying the appropriation and the other items unanimously by voice vote.

Nut Graf: County officials described the request as a response to an unfunded, state-directed obligation: election law requires certain hours and early-voting periods that the county must provide when a special election is called. Committee members pressed staff on whether existing grant funds could cover the costs and on how grant carryovers are handled for accounting purposes.

Treasurer Norton told the committee the county uses modified-accrual accounting and that grant spending already recorded in 2024 will be recognized in the same year if claims are received before the fiscal cutoff. “We’re on a modified accrual basis,” Norton said, explaining that the county will recognize reimbursements in the year in which it receives reimbursement and that receivables are on the books while claims are pending from the state.

Committee members asked whether previously authorized grant funds could be repurposed for the special election. Elections staff and the committee said most existing election grants are restricted by the state to specific uses (equipment, postage, vote-by-mail expenses) and therefore generally cannot be applied to other line items. Staff said they routinely claim eligible overtime and extra-help costs to available grants when permitted.

The committee also moved and approved carrying over several 2024 election grants that the county has already spent and for which it is awaiting state reimbursement. Staff said most of those grant expenditures have been submitted to the state and some claims were recently closed out for payment.

Separately, the committee approved an amendment to an existing contract for poll-book licensing and support (referenced in meeting material as Resolution 48-2024) to add three additional poll books, increasing the contract amount as described in the agenda packet. Elections staff said the county originally purchased 90 newer poll books under grant funding and needs three additional devices for service and licensing coverage; staff said the additional devices were purchased with grant funds and the request is only to amend the vendor contract to cover licensing and support.

The committee also approved donating older poll-book tablets that the county says have exceeded their five-year grant life. Elections staff said the devices will be wiped by the county IT department before transfer. One committee member asked that any donation process be “subject to legal review,” noting county purchasing and state grant rules may restrict how devices bought with grant funds may be distributed; the committee directed staff to coordinate with legal counsel before finalizing recipients.

Finally, after brief discussion the committee voted to ask the committee chair to send a letter to U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik and to the White House requesting federal assistance to cover the cost of the special election. The motion, made by Supervisor Thomas and seconded by Supervisor Driscoll, passed by voice vote.

The committee recorded all the listed action items as approved by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript.

Ending: The committee had no further discussion items and adjourned after an announcement that additional actions will be coordinated with the full board and legal counsel as needed.